Taxe Foncière - Property tax is an annual local tax owed by owners of property on January 1st, used to finance local public services. It is calculated on the cadastral rental value, increased annually, and paid in October. 

Key points about Property Tax: 

• Who pays? Any owner of property (house, apartment, parking space, land, SCI). 

• Calculation: Based on the cadastral rental value (theoretical rent) multiplied by the rates voted on by local authorities. In 2025, a flat-rate increase of 1.7% is applied. 

• Payment: Notice generally in September and payment deadline around October 20th (online). 

• Exemptions/Reductions: Possible under certain conditions (age, income, disability), particularly for primary residences or new housing. 

• Electronic payment: Online payment via impots.gouv.fr is preferred.

We have an online account with impots.gouv.fr and have an arrangement to pay la Taxe Foncière in advance by monthly direct debit split over 10 months - January to October. When the actual amount due for that year is raised in October any additional monies then due are claimed by the monthy direct debit in November and December. The following year's pre-payments will then start in January.

The annual Invoice for 57 & 59 Route d'Aubusson for 2025 is 1265 € and means the prepayments for 2026 are 126 € monthly January to October. 2026

Taxe d'Habitation (housing tax) in France is a local, annual tax that has been abolished for main residences as of 2023 but still applies to furnished résidence secondaire (second homes). It is levied on individuals occupying a property on January 1, including owners of second homes and, in limited cases, tenants. 

Key Aspects of the Taxe d'Habitation

• Targeted Properties: It applies to furnished second homes, vacation homes, and associated structures like garages.

• Who Pays: If you own a second home in France—even if you are a non-resident—you are liable for this tax.

• Calculation: The tax is calculated based on the notional rental value of the property, multiplied by rates set by local municipalities.

• Declaration Requirement: Since 2023, all property owners must declare the occupancy status of their properties on the impots.gouv.fr  website to determine liability.

• Increased Rates: In high-demand, high-population areas (zones tendues), local authorities may apply a surcharge of 5% to 60% on the tax. 

While the taxe d'habitation no longer applies to primary residences, it remains a significant annual tax for anyone holding a second home in France.

As the property is our holiday home we have to pay taxe d'habitation and have an online account with impots.gouv.fr and have an arrangement to pay la Taxe d'Habitation in advance by monthly direct debit split over 10 months - January to October. When the actual amount due for that year is raised in October any additional monies then due are claimed by the monthy direct debit in November and December. The following year's pre-payments will then start in January. The same as the Taxe Foncière.

The annual Invoice for 57 & 59 Route d'Aubusson for 2025 is 832 € and means the prepayments for 2026 are 83 € monthly January to October. 2026.

The French television licence fee (contribution à l'audiovisuel public) was abolished in 2022 and is currently free for all households. Formerly it was collected as part of the raxe d'habititation and cost €138 per year, this tax was removed to boost household purchasing power amidst rising living costs, with public broadcasting now funded through VAT. 

At present the Taxe d'Enlèvement des Ordures Ménagères (TEOM), (Rubbish collection) is not included with the property tax (taxe foncière) as it is for other communes. At present this is not charged for.

We use EDF as our electricity (électricité) supplier and have a Linky smart meter installed. We are provided with a 6kVA supply and have never had any issues with the supply being unable to cope with all our DIY machinery etc. We manage our account paying via Direct Debit and having an online account with EDF.

You can choose a supplier and there are comparison sites as there are in the UK.

We use gas (gaz)for our hob. We utilise bottled Butane that we purchase from various local shops or supermarkets - there is a 24 hr self serve set up in the next town - Ahun a short drive away. We have two 'bottles' so when one runs out we can switch over to the new bottle without having to wait to finish a meal.

SUEZ supplies our water (l'eau) and there is a water meter installed to supply meter readings - again via our online account. Unlike gas & Electricity, there is no choice for your water supply.

There is also a well under the verandah. Not suitable for drinking but great for watering plants and car washing :-)

La Maison d'artiste is connected to the village's mains sewage system. SUEZ also invoices for handling our sewage & waste water which is directly linked to water usage. Both our SUEZ accounts are joined and invoiced at the same time and paid via a single monthly direct debit and is easily accessed via the online account. Again, there is no choice of supplier for this. 

As we use La Maison d'Artiste as a holiday home we are not connected to the internet. We use a Mifi set up via a French Sim card, which enables us to use wifi for both of our mobile phones, two laptops and to stream whatever we want without having a supply issue - less buffering than our Virgin 'wired in' set up in the UK!

The property does have the potential to be connected to the village Fibre supply with the fibre coiled up on our closest 'telegraph' pole at the boundary of the property all ready to be installed. Like the UK, France has a choice of providers

You can check out the speeds and supplier's to choose from by visiting https://maconnexioninternet.arcep.fr/ 

As a holiday home we only use our mobile phones when in France - there is 5G pretty much for the whole of France but it does drop to 4G occasionally. There is a cable connected to the house ready to be used.

If you have Fibre connected this will also be used for your landline and is ready and waiting to be installed.

We don't have a television and if we want to watch something just use a streaming service on our laptop.

Once again, Fibre is ready and waiting to be installed.

To receive UK TV channels such as BBC it is possible to purchase an app or use a VPN.

We have our buildings and contents insurance with Groupama and paid 413.60 for 2025. Like the UK you can choose your insurance company via quotes given on a comparison site. Or you can visit an office of the insurers or bank to chat to someone about your requirements. They will often visit your property to ensure everything is covered and give advice.